Home for ze Holidays
by Patchwork Poltergeist
Summary: Bijou longs for France and wishes to go back. Her wish is granted, but is that wish all she hoped for? Bijou/??
1. Nighttime Longings

Disclaimer: I don't own Hamtaro, if I did I wouldn't be writing a disclaimer, now would I? No, I wouldn't. I own nothing except my own characters. This is my first Hamtaro fic, so be nice and leave reviews kay? 

Home for ze Holidays

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When one door closes another door opens; but we so often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones which open for us. -_Bell, Alexander Graham_

It was December 19th, five days before Christmas and outside the streets were alive with the carols and adorned with many so lights it was as if night had turned to day. For the small white hamster that watched the celebration from her small cage it seemed like the legendary diamonds of sugar had fallen from the sky just for ham-hams. Bijou sighed and rested her head on her delicate white paws as she watched the snowflakes drift through the night sky. "Zey are so very beautiful, it reminds me of Paris" (AN: I'm not positive Bijou's from Paris, but for the sake of the story let's just say she is) Yes. Paris…the city of lights, city of dreams, city of romance and all things beautiful. Paris…her home. She looked again at the festivities below her. Some of the local children were having a late night snowball fight while some of the older ones were looking and commenting on the new decorations and -*hiff hiff* if she wasn't mistaken Maria's mother was baking cookies downstairs. If there was a night to be enjoyed, this was certainly one of them. Japan was very different from Bijou's homeland, but still quite pretty nonetheless. _I suppose it is the Christmas wherever you are _she thought "But.. It's not Christmas." she said aloud "Not vor me" _It can't be Christmas without someone special to share it with…_

Bijou sighed once again and glanced at the room around her trying to perk up. At least she still had Maria, and of course the ham-hams to play with, they were always there for her and for each other and in a way became her new family..but still she missed her own family, she missed her old friends, she missed the Eiffel Tower being lit up as it were a shining spire of hope, joy and warmth that could reach the heavens and converse with the stars, she wanted her old small bed my the fireplace, she wanted her siblings, her cousins, her parents, but most of all she wanted to go home. 

Well what did you think of the first chapter? It's a bit angsty yes, but it's going to get a lot more interesting later on. Please review! I'd appreciate it very much.


	2. Comming Home

AN: I gots reviews, yay! ^_^

AeroShamu: Yes, don't worry the chapters WILL get longer

PeachyKeen: Well I'm not sure if this is gonna be a Hamtaro/Bijou fic or an OC/Bijou fic, you'll just have to wait and see! *wink*

Chibi-Chibi: yes, there seem to not be many Bijou stories..

twilight guardian: Well you're half right, but I don't want to give away anything..

Anime Ambreen and Poke' Manic: Well I don't know if she has siblings or not..but for the sake of the fic I'll say she does. And good luck with the cat also.

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"Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So... get on your way." -Dr. Seuss

"Guess what Bijou?" The white ham-ham lifted her head to gaze at her owner who grinned down at her. "Heke?" Maria lifted the ham-ham so that their eyes met "Great news, we're going on vacation! Back to France to visit my uncle Leopold!" Bijou's black eyes widened in delight as she rubbed against her owner's face joyfully. _That _is_ great news! Paris _ma maison (AN: means my home, I'll be using many French terms in this, just to let ya know)_, I'm coming back to you!" _

A few minutes later Bijou scampered down the tree out side of her house now freshly groomed and wearing new red and green satin hair ribbons. *Badda-badda-badda* Bijou's heart pounded in her white furred chest as she dashed down the cold December streets to the clubhouse "I cannot be late! Not today" The ham-hams had been planning a Christmas party for several weeks now and she had promised to help with the decorations. "Bijou! Hey wait up!" called out someone. She paused and turned to see Oxnard rushing to meet her grasping a small white bag. "Bonjour, Oxnard!" The gray and white ham-ham crouched panting heavily "H-hi Bijou, I was coming to the clubhouse with Hamtaro but I lost a sunflower seed" he opened the bag he was holding revealing a bunch of fresh sunflower seeds "I had to go back and get it and told Hamtaro I'd catch up. But now I'm afraid I'm kinda late" he said with a rather sheepish grin. "Well hurry or we'll _both_ be late." 

A few minutes later Bijou and Oxnard arrived at the clubhouse just in time to see Howdy get tangled in a long string of tinsel yelling at Dexter who was laughing at him while Pashmina, who now wore a red and white scarf, looked on with slight embarrassment. Boss was by the stairs holding a clipboard and wearing a green visor with a pencil behind his ear trying his best to monitor the situation. Panda was currently building what resembled giant candy canes while Penelope and Stan watched. Snoozer was asleep of course, and Maxwell was looking through a book of Christmas carols with Cappy, (who was now wearing a festive green elf hat) and Hamtaro. "Bonjour everyone!" she called "Sorry we're late" The orange and white hamster looked up "Hi-Q Bijou! Glad you showed up. Hey there Oxey. Dija find your seed?" "Yep! " Oxnard grinned and pulled out a seed "It was behind my ear the entire time. How about that?" "It's about time you got here Oxnard!" yelled Boss from the stairs "Come up here and give Panda a hand, he's almost ready to paint." "And what should I do Boss?" asked Bijou. "Oh eh…why don't you help Pashmina get Howdy untangled. And then can you help Stan put up the tinsel around the walls? He was _supposed _to be almost done by now" he gave a disapproving look at the ham-ham who looked back with a bored look and waved him off "I told you, I'm getting to it, I'm on a break. Hold your horses" "I'm on it Boss" said Bijou and headed over to Howdy's direction.

"Hey Bijou, do you want to come to my owner's place tonight? They'll be gone for the night and left out some marshmallows." asked Pashmina. It was near sunset. Bijou, Pashmina, Hamtaro, and Boss sat atop a tall tree outside the clubhouse. The crisp winter wind blew lightly against the ham-hams' fur as a few of the streetlights and some of the Christmas lights began to come on. "I'd love t. But I'm afraid I cannot. I must be home soon to get ready. I'm going back home to France for ze holidays" Boss looked struck and rushed over to her side "What?! You're coming back right?" the ivory hamster blinked in slight confusion "Of course I'm coming back Boss. It will only be for a week." "But you'll miss the Christmas party, it won't be the same without you Bijou." said Hamtaro. "I know" she sighed "But I'll be back before you know it. It's going to be great to see home again and see my family again. But I'm going to miss you guys though. Even if it is only for a week" "Well have fun Bijou. Say hi to your relatives for me, we'll miss ya" "I'll miss you to Hamtaro" _A lot more than you think_ she thought. "Goodbye Bijou. The hours shall seem like days, days shall seem like months, months will seem like-" "But Boss, she'll only be gone for a week, not months" Pashmina said rolling her eyes. "Humph! I'll have you know I was being poetic. Say Bijou, before you go ummm, I'd like to say if um.." "Yes?" "Eh, it's nothing. Have fun for me okay?" "I will. _Au revoir_, see you all when I get back." she called as she ran down the truck of the tree. "Bye Q Bijou!" called out the ham-hams. 

Then they left.

All but the field hamster who climbed to the very top of the tree and didn't leave until the white hamster had completely disappeared into the horizon.


	3. Twilight in Paris

AN: Grrrrrrrr!!! I meant to finish this thing by the 25th! And now it's the 26th and I haven't even introduced the new character! __ Curse you vacation laziness! Curse yoooouuuu!!! Here's chapter 3 for ya. Oh, and there's also a few things in here that lead up to another fic I plan on writing after this one, so remember what happens in the next few chapters *wink*

Notes: ****** = change in point of view

~*~*~* = time lapse

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"Don't try so hard, the best things come when you least expect them to."-unknown

The city of Paris was exactly as Bijou remembered it; romantic, alive, free, bright, passionate, dangerous, and pulsing with the energy of life itself. A collage of culture and adventure, lit up like a grand Christmas tree to brighten darkened spirits and heal broken wings and broken hearts. Many people walked the busy streets, some sitting in cafes quietly watching the world go by, and yet others zipped in their sleek cars racing to some unknown destination. The city of love. The city of life. The city Bijou knew and cherished. Her home, her _maison. _But this scene was passed by the white hamster quickly for she had fallen asleep during the flight, now stirring every now and then in her sleep.

She woke to the sound of a suitcase opening and she lazily opened one eye "Mmmmmmmm….. It can't be time to wake up yet…just five more minutes…." A hind foot slowly dropped out of the bars of the carrier and Bijou suddenly jumped at the feeling of something cold and slippery on her paw, looking around anxiously. Where on earth _was _she?! The last thing she remembered was telling the other ham-hams goodbye and going home, so what was she doing in this strange place? Then, noticing her owner asleep above her head she calmed a bit. That's right, they were going back home to France… She stood tall on her toes trying to glimpse out the window to make sure she wasn't dreaming this and saw the tall arches of Notre Dame in the far distance. Yes!! It was true, she was back in Paris! Truly home. Bijou nestled in her bed and breathed in to get the full scent of where she was, it smelt of raspberries and cream, not exactly as she remembered it but close enough. After all it had been three years (AN: I'm estimating here) since she left, and many things may have changed. There was a chance some of her friends and siblings were here anymore, may have moved like she did. And her parents were old hamsters by now..who knew if they still even lived? Would anyone remember her? Bijou shook her head. _Non! _She could not focus on the things that could go wrong. She would have to go out and find what she could find, good news or bad. And even if things had changed, even for the worse, at least she still had Paris. That was one thing she knew would never change.

Bijou grabbed a sunflower seed and sat on the floor of the carrier looking around the room she was now in. The metal carrier now rested on a ruby colored satin pillow (which explained the cold slippery surface her paw touched earlier) that had a fine golden trim around it complete with tassels at the corners. The cage itself was adorned with bright red and green ribbons along with dazzling polished silver and brass bells tied to the top corners and jingled when she hopped and grabbed on to the higher bars. The room itself was a bit small, but more than did the trick for a short stay. It smelled of cinnamon also. A small TV sat on a wooden dresser where empty suitcases lay at it's feet. The bed, which was right beside the hamster, was trimmed with white lace with Maria wrapped in the green comforter. Beside the bad was a wooden table with the book _Les Miserables _and an alarm clock that read 12:36 AM. 

Hmmmmmm. Bijou twitched her ears in thought. She could sneak out now and be back by sunrise and find all of her friends and family, but then again they would probably be asleep, plus there was the chance they might have moved or she was in a place too far away to remember the direction where they lived and chances were unless there was such a thing as nocturnal ham-hams she wouldn't be able to find much help finding them. Plus, there was the matter of night itself. Although it was Paris, the finest city in the world, it was still a raging city nonetheless and, as all cities are, throbbing with danger, risk, temptation, deceit, and sin. The streets and allies alike were now swarming with bloodthirsty cats, owls with piercing evil eyes, violent angry dogs, and many other creatures who stalked in the cloak of darkness craving the blood of whosoever should be so unlucky as to cross their path. 

Bijou glanced again at the clock and then again at the night outside trying to decide weather to go now and take her chances or wait for morning like any sensible ham-ham would. After contemplating this for a while she decided to wait a few hours longer, then make a break for it. She'd get a good ideas of where she was exactly and try and find out where her relatives and friends were, spend some time with them, and then get back to her carrier before her owner woke up. Then if she was left alone again, she'd go out once more. She sat on the cage floor and chewed on another sunflower seed. _I may as well try and get some sleep, for at least a few hours._

~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*

*badda badda badda* A white hamster dashed through the night with the dawn creeping at her back and fluffy snow flying past her heals. Bijou dashed around a corner and climbed on top of a shoe box panting and looking around for any signs of danger. There was none so far. She sighed and relaxed a bit. She'd made it to the _Café di Musica et ballo, _the house where her parents lived was only a few blocks away. She could just make it there and back to Uncle Leopold's by eight, when they were waking up. "I'm almost home free" she said to herself. "Just need to make it to 5th street and I'll be with you _mère…père" _(mother, father).

But unknown to Bijou, she was not the only one at the _Café di Musica . _Two pairs of eyes watched her. 

One, a large pair of glassy green orbs with large pupils taking in the moonlight along with the sight of the white hamster around the bend. The owner of the eyes chuckled to herself. Judging from the perfectly groomed fur, she could tell it was a town ham. _Doesn't even know where she's going. So easy. So very easy_. Maybe this night wasn't a complete loss after all. No wait..she couldn't get worked up just yet when the rodent wasn't even in the open yet. She crouched in the small patch of grass and snuck just a bit closer and settled again quietly. Wait. Wait….

******

The other pair of eyes was a smaller set and an unusual color: a deep violet. The owner of these eyes sat atop the roof of the _Café di Musica. _He'd been sitting there for quite some time now looking at the stars. Or trying too anyway. Paris was nice, but it was bright, way too bright to see the stars, or even the moon. Nothing like his home, where you could see stars for miles and miles with no city lights, big building, or noisy traffic to get in the way. Just him and the sky. He sighed and leaned on the wooden roof gazing down at the street not too far below boredly until a sight caught his eyes. A hamster climbing onto a shoebox. Most hamsters weren't out this late (or up this early depending on how you looked at it) unless they were either city or field hams. And from the frantic jerky movements of this hamster, she was certainly not used to the urban woodland. With that white fur and- wait! _White_ fur? There was only one breed on hamster in Paris with pure white fur, and only five of them at that, all of whom lived a few blocks from here. And none of them would be awake at this hour. But.. The creature stood on his toes to give his eyes had a closer look and then bulged with shock. _Ribbons?! _He rubbed his eyes, must be a dream or spent too much time in the moonlight. But no, there they were, red and green satin ribbons. He sat again in disbelief. A pure white hamster freshly groomed with ribbons in her hair…could it be?

******

The green eyes widened with pleasure as the ivory hamster slid off the shoebox and carefully came out of hiding and he grinned to himself. Yes. Her claws flexed and gripped the soil as he made her silent approach. Now. Now was the time to strike. 

******

Bijou gulped Well, _here I go_. She jumped out of her hiding spot and made a mad dash for the end of the block. Almost there. _Almost. _Suddenly something hard, sharp, and furry slammed into her side and Bijou went sprawling into a nearby garden of poppies. A yowl of frustration rang in the air and she gasped as she struggled to rise but the sudden shock and weariness of running so far already ended up in catching Bijou in a panic, causing her to only scramble in place. She gave a screech as a pressure came don on her chest and she stared up so that her widened ebony eyes met with a huge set of large malevolent emerald ones. A cat, and this one was nothing like the one she'd met at home, this was a true ally cat, and a hungry one at that. The green eyes abandoned their previous look of desperateness Bijou had seen when the paw first pinned her down. Now those eyes were full of pleasure, satisfaction, and pride. A row of sharp ivory teeth glinted in the moonlight and Bijou could feel claws coming out now tensely pinning her fur to the soil. No doubt the other paw's set of claws were out also, ready for the kill. Bijou made a small whimper-like sound of desperation but made no attempt to struggle as her chest heaved with the drumming of her own rampaging heart that seemed ready to burst. The white hamster shut her eyes and waited for the final blow to be struck.

Ooooooo! Evil cliffhanger! 


	4. Encounters by the Streetlights

AN: See, I'm back. You knew I wouldn't leave ya hangin'. Right? *cricket chirps* Ah well. And I got more reviews, yay! Reviews make me a very, very happy author type person, the more I get the more I know you like it and that helps inspire me get off my ass and get to typing. I have a procrastination problem *looks down shamefully* 

****** = change in point of view

~*~*~* = time lapse

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"Be true to the thought of the moment and avoid distraction"-Samurai Lapin

The cat's tail lashed with anticipation as her ivory teeth whipped though the night sky. Bijou's eyes were tightly shut as she waited for her death to come and prayed for it to be quick. _I came to Paris looking for the ways of my old life..but it now seems that only death awaited me. _As the cat's fangs came falling down, she could feel a rumbling through out it's body…the cat was purring. But the rumbling suddenly stopped and the pressure on Bijou's chest suddenly vanished. The sound of purring was now replaced with a loud screech of anger as Bijou quickly sat up and made a mad dash for under the porch of the _Café di Musica. _She's barely made under as the flashing green eyes met her own once again and jumped back just before the claws could dig into her. The cats screeched another battle cry and started to attempt to crawl under he porch, it's emerald eyes flashing with annoyance and anger. Suddenly a shadow crashed into the cats and a flash of something bright glinted in the moonlight and scent somewhat familiar to Bijou drifted toward her nose. 

The cat gave a yelp of pain and leaped back into the light of a streetlamp. The cat was middle-aged, probably about five years or so with a slim figure and fine amber fur with stripes of deep brown stripes along her back and tail that now lashed furiously. She had a small cut on her left cheek, still fresh and still bleeding a bit and a gash on her right flank was now soaking the pavement with her blood, as it had just been inflicted. The cat had just been attacked, explaining how the paw had come off her chest and the rage filled screeches bijou had been hearing. The shadowy figure that had crashed into the cat now stood in front of Bijou at about her size with bright eyes. She backed away a bit as the figure poked his head under the porch *hiff hiff* They both sniffed each other and Bijou's eyes widened in recognition of what was before her: a hamster..but not any hamster and her heart began to beat even faster than it already was "Are you-" she began but her voice was drowned out by a outraged cry. The cat crouched snarling in mauish, the language of cats. The figure turned away from the white hamster and glared back at the feline. The hamster did not really understand the cat's language, as she didn't know his, but they both knew the Common Speech of movement and smell shared by all animals and he knew a challenge when he heard it. The cat flatted her ears even further so that it was near impossible to see them anymore and hissed in the Common "Who dares to attack?! What vermin dares to strike the race of the mau?! Come out you coward and face me so I may rip out your throat and send you back to the pit where you belong! Come out into the light you sniveling coward! Or does your kind so cowardly that it fears the light itself? Face me!" The hamster turned from Bijou and raced up the porch and leapt into the plain view of the streetlamp's light. He was a rather fine looking ham-ham with a healthy golden pelt shining dully in the pale streetlights with a black mask of fur covering his face leading to a thin strip of black fur that slid down to his tail like a trickle of oil. His whiskers were long and bristled with anger and his eyes were of the most unusual sort: a deep violet that now blazed like the pits of raging fires from the depths of Hell as he stared at his adversary. In his paws he held a brass handled steel sword that was twice the length he was and was tipped with cat blood. Emerald and violet eyes locked and neither made a sound staring at each other in a standoff, both frilled with a searing fury for the other. "A coward am I? I'll make you hack up those words like one of your putrid hairballs cat." 

The cats lashed her tail once again "Better to hack up hairballs than to be fed your vile lies street rat" she growled back. "I shall make you rue the day you interrupted the hunt of the fiercest free cat in France!" "Glad to see you retain the famous feline humility" responded the hamster sarcastically. "Now then" he said with an air of confidence "Are you done spouting threats or are you going to actually going to do something worth paying attention to? If not, I'll forget going home and take my nap right here." A hiss sounded as the cat took a vicious swipe at him. The hamster dodged the attack and landed a few inches away "So you're finally ready for a scuffle eh kitty? Well that suits me fine!" He rushed at his enemy, his sword whistling as it sailed through the night air. It struck the ground, making a few sparks fly as she leapt away from the blow, then was almost instantly behind him, claws bared. Bijou's eyes widened as she saw the cat's claws rake deep across the hamster's shoulder, forcing ruby blood to slide down his back and the cats grinned in triumph. He stumbled a bit as he winced at both the blow and the fact that he'd made two mistakes a fighter should never make: he made the same exact assault twice and he'd given the cat a chance to predict his move and he silently cursed at his error. Another fluke like that and he'd have been sliced to ribbons. _Well not again. "_I hope you enjoyed your small win kitty, because it'll be your last!" "Don't flatter yourself. I wouldn't waste my true skills on a impudent mouse like you" " Well I should hope not, that would be insulting being as how you can't even get my species right" "Enough talk! Let's finish this" she said as she rushed at him once more "Gladly" He raced toward the attack and as he spotted the razor claws tear at him again, he grinned to himself _I knew it, stupid cat_ he dove under the paw and under her driving his blade into her soft vulnerable stomach. The cat leapt back and screeched loudly, her face twisted in a mask of pain. "Damn you" she growled softly. The crouched on the sidewalk, panting heavily. That was no mere scratch like the last attacks. That one left a large gash in her stomach, something like that, along with the fact that she'd wasted most of her energy already with what had just happened and her nightly run. That hamster was still going strong despite his wound. He had the advantage, she was in serious trouble and he knew it. _Look at that arrogant smirk on his face. Disgusting sewer rat, vile rodents plaguing the world with their..their..filth. Just you wait smart guy. _She shakily rose to her feet raising her long tail for balance glancing back at the hamster staring and waiting to see if she would run or foolishly keep going. She jumped to a trash can, then to the roof of _Café di Musica _and made her way to the ally and to her human's home. As she stood on the roof's ledge she turned to the hamster with flattened ears "Don't think this is over vermin! This isn't over, not yet! I'll tear open your throat and feast on your blood! You and that albino lab rat! I'll kill you both and drive all your kind to the depths of Hell! You hear me?!" and with that she was gone.

The golden and ebony hamster sat on the city sidewalk panting heavily holding on to the stem of a nearby flower. He turned to Bijou. "You all right Bijou?" The white ham-ham blushed slightly and came slowly to him *ticky ticky* "Are….are you who I think you are?" "I'll gladly be whomever you wish for me to be if that's what you want but it would be a waste since I am who you think I am." Bijou gave a small smirk, yes, it could only be him. Only he lacked the sense to waste time on confusing questions "Machiavelli, you haven't changed one bit." "Would you have preferred Da Vinci? (AN: inside joke…stupid history class) And I told you Bijou, call me Mac." Bijou smiled at her old companion, now she knew at least one ham-ham from her life in Paris still remained. "So Bijou" said Mac "I thought you'd moved to Japan, what happened?" "I came back. For ze holidays with Maria to visit her uncle. I am zo glad to be back in Paris. I missed her lights and glamour, _mere_, _pere_. Mac shifted a bit closer to the white hamster "Did you- miss me?" "Don't be silly Machiavelli, of course I missed you" she said leaning beside him and giving him a very small hug so as to mind his wound. "Heh. Thanks Bijou. Where were you headed?" "I was on my way to see the family when well..you know." Well you'd better hurry, it's only a few minutes to sunrise. I know, I'll escort you!" He lept to his feat, then fell back down again "Shouldn't have gotten up so fast…." Bijou giggled and stood holding out her paw "I think you've done more than enough Mac. Come on, we'll escort each other, deal?" Her friend smiled as she helped him to his feat "Deal Bijou. Now let's go"


End file.
